Department for Transport

Channel Ferries: Freight

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government which new freight transport routes across the English Channel between the UK and the EU are being considered as part of the contingency planning for a no-deal Brexit.

baroness sugg: The routes agreed for increased freight capacity with DFDS and with Brittany Ferries will run from the Ports of Immingham and Felixstowe (DFDS) and Poole, Plymouth and Portsmouth (Brittany) to destinations in Germany (Cuxhaven), the Netherlands (Vlaardingen) and France (Caen, Cherbourg, Le Havre, and Roscoff). The route agreed with Seaborne Freight is between Ramsgate and Ostend in Belgium.

Roads: Litter

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government which organisation has responsibility for clearing litter from motorways and trunk roads; and whether they also have powers to issue civil penalties to the owner of a vehicle from which litter is seen to be thrown.

baroness sugg: Highways England are responsible for cleaning litter on motorways and a small number of A roads. Local Authorities are responsible for clearing litter on all other A roads and All Purpose Trunk Roads. District councils in England (outside London) have powers to issue civil penalties to the keepers of vehicles from which litter is thrown onto their roads. All local authorities can also prosecute or issue fixed penalties in lieu of prosecution for littering offences on any road within their area, including motorways. Highways England do not have any enforcement powers in respect of littering offences on the roads from which they are responsible for clearing litter.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Hydroelectric Power

lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to encourage investment in pumped storage hydroelectricity projects.

lord henley: In our Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan, published in July 2017 (and updated in October 2018), Government and Ofgem set out a range of actions to remove barriers to electricity storage. These actions seek to improve regulatory clarity and enable fair access to energy markets in order to create a best-in-class regulatory framework for the sector. We will continue to engage storage developers, including those of pumped hydro projects, to understand how best to collaborate with the sector whilst ensuring best value for consumers and fair competition between different flexibility technologies.

Electricity: Storage

lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of future electricity storage requirements resulting from increased generation of electricity from intermittent sources.

lord henley: BEIS’s 2017 Energy Emissions projections outlines that 11GW of electricity storage could be deployed in Great Britain by 2035 under the Reference Scenario. Up to 2020, the reference scenario reflects current power sector policies. Beyond 2020, the reference scenario includes assumptions that go beyond current Government policy. The results do not indicate a preferred outcome and should be treated as illustrative.

Trade Associations

lord naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with trade associations about (1) the anticipated implications of a no-deal Brexit for their industries, and (2) the services available to mitigate any difficulties; and with which such associations such discussions have been held.

lord henley: As part of BEIS’ work on EU exit, interactions with trade associations take place on a regular and ongoing basis and we are working to ensure that UK businesses are as well informed and prepared for leaving the EU as possible and to advise them on the steps they may need to take to prepare for EU exit. As such, we have launched a public information campaign about how EU exit will affect businesses and the practical steps they will need to take to be ready. The campaign directs them to GOV.UK/euexit where they are able to find the latest advice and information on any aspect of leaving the EU which affects them and outlines the steps they need to take.

Cars: Manufacturing Industries

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 26 November 2018 (HL11401), what plans they have to address the weakness in the domestic car industry cited by the ONS as contributing towards three consecutive quarter-on-quarter falls in UK business investment for the first time since the downturn of 2007–08.

lord henley: The automotive sector is undergoing a strategic transition to electric and connected and autonomous vehicles. Our automotive Sector Deal announced last year will ensure that the UK continues to be one of the most competitive locations in the world for automotive manufacturing. This includes a commitment of £246m to develop and scale-up world leading battery technology for electrified vehicles and a commitment of £1bn over 10 years to the Advanced Propulsion Centre to research and develop the next generation of low carbon technology to keep the sector at the cutting edge of innovation. Since it was announced in July 2013, APC has awarded 44 collaborative R&D projects worth £770 million backed with £368 million from Government. We are also committed to investing over £250 million in public funding up to 2021/22, matched by industry, into R&D and testing infrastructure to accelerate the development of connected and autonomous vehicle technologies and anchor them in the UK. The Government is determined to ensure that the UK continues to be one of the most competitive locations in the world for automotive and other advanced manufacturing. The 2018 Budget further announced £78m million funding announced to support innovation in electric motor technology.

Retail Trade

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact that a recent decline in consumer spending, as reported by Visa in its consumer price index, published in January, could have on UK retailers.

lord henley: According to the VISA consumer spending index, there was a decline in consumer spending in 8 months of 2018, including a decline of 1% in December. This is in line with ONS figures which have been showing total retail sales flattening out since summer 2018. We recognise this decline in consumer spending, along with a number of other market pressures such as changing consumer expectations and behaviour towards online shopping, are creating a challenging environment for UK retailers as they respond to these changes. This is why in March we established the industry led Retail Sector Council to bring Government and industry together to boost the sector’s productivity and economic health. The Government is committed to supporting the retail sector and through the Council will work with industry to address key sector issues and define its future strategy.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Greece: Asylum

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the report by Oxfam Vulnerable and Abandoned, published on 9 January, about (1) specialised shelters for minors, (2) special accommodation for single women, (3) access to medical services for pregnant and lactating women, and (4) psycho-social and psychiatric support for people with mental health conditions.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of the report. In our contacts at official and Ministerial level, the FCO has consistently raised concerns with the Greek government about the humanitarian situation faced by some migrants, and we will continue to do so. The UK remains fully committed to working with Greece to manage migration in the Eastern Mediterranean through the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement. Since March 2018, the UK has provided interpreters to work with the Greek Reception and Identification Service, supporting migrants arriving on the hotspot islands, including through facilitating access to medical and psycho-social care. As the Minister for Immigration announced on 20 December, we have also made changes to the 'Dubs amendment' scheme to allow more of the most vulnerable unaccompanied children to qualify for relocation to the UK.

Pakistan: Ahmadiyya

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about the exclusion of Ahmadi Muslims from the right to vote in Pakistan’s elections.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are deeply concerned about restrictions on the freedom of religion or belief in Pakistan. The Government strongly condemns the discrimination of all minorities, including legislation which acts as a barrier to Ahmadiyya Muslims taking part in the democratic process fully.We regularly raise with the Government of Pakistan at senior levels the importance of religious tolerance and its duty to uphold the rights of all Pakistan’s citizens regardless of religious identity. The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of advancing the rights of minorities during her telephone call with Imran Khan in August following his election as Prime Minister of Pakistan. I raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan’s Human Rights Minister in September 2018.At the UN Periodic Review of Pakistan’s human rights record in 2017, the UK urged Pakistan to strengthen protection of minorities, including by having a fully inclusive electoral roll without discrimination or religious bias, and by establishing an independent National Commission for Minorities.We continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee fully the rights of all Pakistani citizens, including religious minorities, and to honour its international obligations.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Iran about Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, in particular that she be granted access to medical treatment for long standing mental and physical health complaints.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The treatment of all British-Iranians detained in Iran, including Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, is a priority for the Government. We urgently raise these cases with the Iranian government at every opportunity. On 14 January, the Foreign Secretary summoned the Iranian Ambassador to the UK and called for Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe to be immediately given the healthcare she requires and for her and other British-Iranian dual nationals to be released. We will continue to raise Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's case, as well as our other consular cases, with the Iranian government at every opportunity, including requesting consular access, and will continue to take action in line with what we believe will produce the best outcomes in their cases.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are offering Richard Ratcliffe, following the government of Iran's decision to cancel his scheduled telephone calls with his wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The families of all of our dual national cases have regular contact with Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials, and the Foreign Secretary is personally engaged. Mr Ratcliffe has confirmed that telephone calls with Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe continue, and have not been stopped. The treatment of all British-Iranians detained in Iran, including Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, is a priority for the Government. We urgently raise these cases with the Iranian government at every opportunity. We will continue to raise Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's case, as well as our other consular cases, with the Iranian government at every opportunity, including requesting consular access, and will continue to take action in line with what we believe will produce the best outcomes in their cases.

China: Taiwan

lord dholakia: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of the People’s Republic of China about their “one country, two systems” policy towards Taiwan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government has routine discussions with the People’s Republic of China on the issue of Taiwan, such as during the Foreign Secretary’s UK-China Strategic Dialogue (July 2018). We maintain that the issue should be settled through constructive dialogue, in line with the views of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

China: Taiwan

lord dholakia: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any risks to regional peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: In his 2 January speech, Chinese leader Xi Jinping urged Taiwan to accept reunification with China, restating China’s long-held position that it can use all necessary measures, including force, to secure this aim. We oppose any action which raises tensions in the region and hinders the chances of peaceful settlement of any issues. In line with our longstanding position on Taiwan we encourage Taiwan and China to engage in constructive dialogue to resolve this issue, taking into account the views of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Turkey: Prisons

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations theyhave made to the government of Turkey about (1) the conditions of Abdullah Öcalan's imprisonment,and (2)the number of hunger strikes in other Turkish prisons.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We encouraged the Turkish authorities to release the reports of the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture following their visit in 2016 to Imrali island where Abdullah Ocalan is being held. The Turkish government did so, along with their official response, in March 2018. Our Embassy in Ankara maintains regular contact with the People's Democratic Party (HDP) on a range of issues, including with respect to their support for improved prison conditions for Mr Ocalan. In request of hunger strikers in other prisons, we expect Turkey to meet their international commitments in relation to detention conditions, including providing access to appropriate medical treatment. We will continue to engage with the Turkish government on these issues.

Turkey: USA

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the President of the United States' statement on Twitter on 13 January that the United States "will devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds", what discussions they have had with the government of the United States about its economic policy towards Turkey.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We engage regularly with the US on Middle East issues. As the Prime Minister has previously stated, the UK wants to see the Turkish economy flourish. Since President Trump's announcement on withdrawal from Syria we have remained in close contact with the US, Turkey and other allies.

Bulgaria: Travellers

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Bulgaria about (1) the demolition of Roma homes in Voivodinovo and other places withno offer of new housing, and (2) the adequacy of roads, water, sewage systems, and rubbish collection in Roma settlements in Bulgaria.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Our Embassy in Sofia regularly engages with the Bulgarian government and local authorities setting out the economic and social benefits of Roma integration. It is active in promoting minority rights in Bulgaria, with our Ambassador playing a prominent role in the ‘Friends of Roma’ Ambassadors Group, which supports initiatives related to inclusion and education.

Cabinet Office

Public Sector: Billing

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what processes are in place to monitor compliance with regulation 113 paragraphs (7) and (8) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 which require contracting bodies to publish data online regarding their late payment of invoices; and what assessment they have made of compliance with those Regulations by public authorities since 2015.

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government which public authorities have (1) complied, and (2) not complied with regulation 113 paragraphs (7) and (8) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, which require public authorities to publish data online regarding their late payment of invoices.

lord young of cookham: All public bodies in scope of this regulation are responsible for publishing their own payment performance data. We do not currently hold this information centrally; however the Public Procurement Review Service plans to undertake a series of ‘spot checks’ on a number of public bodies to monitor compliance in coming months.

Department of Health and Social Care

Food: Imports

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many additional food inspectors will be put in place to ensure food imports from the EU are checked at transit ports in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

baroness manzoor: In the event of a ‘no deal’ European Union exit, there will be no additional controls on food and feed originating from the EU. However, third country high-risk food and feed consignments transiting the EU destined for the United Kingdom will be subject to controls and will need to enter the UK at ports with the required facilities to undertake those controls. Following detailed analysis to determine the possible number of such transits, there is sufficient existing capacity at UK ports with those facilities to undertake all relevant import controls.

Health Services: Travellers

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the commitment to address health inequalities in the NHS Long Term Plan, published on 10 January, what steps they intend to take to tackle the health inequalities experienced by members of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

baroness manzoor: During 2019 all local health systems will be expected to set out how they will reduce health inequalities by 2023/24 and 2028/29 including, where applicable, for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities.We are reviewing the collection of data within the National Health Service and working closely with NHS England to complete a scoping exercise to understand how information on protected characteristics is gathered in existing NHS datasets. The Department plans to complete an initial assessment later this year, which will form the basis for future decision-making on NHS data collection by ethnicity.NHS England has produced guidance for general practices clarifying rights of patients and responsibilities of providers in registering with a general practitioner. It also co-produced a leaflet for members of the GRT communities on how to register. These will be kept under review.The Department of Health and Social Care is also working closely with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Education on six community-led pilot projects, two of which are looking to improve health outcomes for GRT communities.The Government commissioned research from the universities of Dundee and York examining how trust in healthcare services could be enhanced amongst Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. The report, Enhancing Gypsy, Roma and Traveller peoples’ trust: using maternity and early years’ health services and dental health services as exemplars of mainstream service provision, was published in September 2018. It has made eight key recommendations to the health sector and other key providers, which include increasing collaborative working with those that already have trusted relationships with GRT communities e.g. individuals from third sector organisations, individual health or other sector professionals; and suggested the introduction of literacy help-cards throughout the NHS. These are cards that can be presented to front line staff or receptionists to ask for discreet help with form-filling. A copy of the report is attached.



Report_on_GRT_health.pdf
(PDF Document, 10.93 MB)

Department for Education

Sanitary Protection: Pupils

lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to provide free menstrual products to all school children in England.

lord agnew of oulton: The Department for Education published statistics in March 2018 which shows that while absence rates related to illness are slightly higher in girls than boys, the gap in absence rates between boys and girls is very similar regardless of disadvantage. This suggests period poverty does not have a significant, nation-wide impact on attendance. However, no girl should be held back from reaching her potential because of her gender or background and we are keeping this matter under close review. Schools are best placed to identify and address the needs of their pupils; have discretion over how they use their funding; and can make sanitary products available to disadvantaged pupils if they identify this as a barrier to attainment or attendance. We support schools in addressing the needs of disadvantaged pupils through the provision of the Pupil Premium, equivalent to more than £2.4 billion of additional funding this year alone.Our guidance on ‘Sex and Relationship Education’ and the draft ‘Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education’ guidance (both attached) encourages schools to make sensitive arrangements to help girls cope with menstruation. Lastly, as a government, in the previous round of the Tampon Tax Fund we provided £1.68 million for the ‘Let’s Talk. Period’ project, which is distributing sanitary products to young women and girls in need across England. 



HL12781_Sex_and_Relationship_Education_Guidance
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HL12781_Relationships_Education_&_Health_Education
(PDF Document, 786.74 KB)

Citizenship: Education

lord hodgson of astley abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people are currently training to be teachers specialising in citizenship.

lord agnew of oulton: The annual Initial Teacher Training Census provides data on the number of trainee teachers recruited each year in which citizenship trainees are included in the ‘Other’ subject category.[1]Analysis of the underlying data shows that in the academic year 2018/19, 37 postgraduate trainees began training in citizenship.[2]  [1] Of the 385 trainees included in the ‘Other’ subject category some are listed as belonging to a particular subject such as citizenship, dance or economics in the underlying data. Out of these trainees, 146 do not belong to any of the available subject categories and are listed as other in the underlying data, it is not known if any of these are citizenship trainees.[2] Figures for 2018/19 are provisional and subject to change. Data were extracted on 19 November 2018.

Ministry of Justice

Deportation: Appeals

lord green of deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Keen of Elie on 13 July 2018 (HL9105),what progress has been made by the Tribunals Procedure Committee in deciding on new rules for detained appellants.

lord keen of elie: Between 12 July and 4 October 2018 the Tribunal Procedure Committee held a consultation on rules to govern cases where an immigration or asylum appellant is detained. The Committee is considering its response, in accordance with the provisions of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007.

Prisons: Islam

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of (1) prisoners, and (2) managing chaplains in prisons in England and Wales are Muslims; and which prisons in England and Wales have managing chaplains who are Muslims.

lord keen of elie: Data on the prisoners’ religion is published and can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/offender-management-statistics-quarterly-april-to-june-2018 (table 1.5 of the prison population tables for 30 September 2018). Latest data shows that 16% of prisoners in England and Wales identify themselves as Muslims.There are 33 prisons in which there are Muslim Managing Chaplains. These are HMPs Aylesbury, Bedford, Brinsford, Bristol, Brixton, Buckley Hall, Bullingdon, Channings Wood, Cookham Wood, Deerbolt, Doncaster, Featherstone, Forest Bank, Garth, Gartree, Grendon/Springhill, Highpoint, Humber, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Long Lartin, Nottingham, Oakwood, Pentonville, Preston, Stoke Heath, Sudbury, Swinfen Hall, Thameside, Werrington, Whitemoor, and Wormwood Scrubs.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Travellers: Caravan Sites

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken to raise awareness among local authorities and housing associations that the Affordable Homes Programme covers funding for Traveller sites; how many applications proposing Traveller sites have been made; and how many of those have been approved since April 2016.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: On 14 June 2017, we published ‘Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme supplementary information – Continuous Market Engagement (CME),’ which includes details on funding for traveller pitches. This document is available (attached) here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/shared-ownership-and-affordable-homes-programme-supplementary-information-continuous-market-engagement-cmeWe have not approved any new traveller pitches since April 2016 – our Live Tables on affordable housing delivery are available (attached) online: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-affordable-housing-supplyGovernment does not publish details of applications for funding from the Affordable Homes Programme.



Shared Ownership and affordable homes
(PDF Document, 105.7 KB)




Affordable housing
(Excel SpreadSheet, 71.41 KB)

Public Expenditure: Sheffield City Region

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what funds have been made available to the Sheffield City Region as part of their devolution deal; and how much has been transferred to the Sheffield City Region to date.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Our devolution deal with Sheffield City Region agreed a range of powers and responsibilities to be devolved to the mayoral combined authority, including substantial investment funding which will provide the region with £30 million per year for a 30 year period, devolution of the adult education budget, and a multi-year transport budget.£61.5 million of devolution deal related transport funding has been transferred to Sheffield City Region to date. However, the City Region are yet to take the necessary statutory steps to launch their consultation on the powers needed to empower the Mayor and put the full devolution deal into effect – and until this is done, the region will not receive their investment funding. We have however provided Sheffield City Region with Mayoral Capacity Funding (£1 million per year for 18/19 and 19/20) to support it as a newly established strategic economic institution.

Religious Hatred: Islam

lord singh of wimbledon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 14 January (HL Deb, col 7), what evidence there is that there are more attacks on the Muslim community than any other.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government treats all forms of hate crime equally seriously. Two separate statistical sources used by Government show the scale of hate crimes targeted at Muslims in relation to hate crimes against other faith groups.The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), published by the Office for National Statistics in October 2018, portrays the experience of hate crime. It is estimated that 0.1 per cent of adults (105,459) were victims of a religiously motivated hate crime in the 12 months prior to interview. The 2015/16 to 2017/18 CSEW showed that 0.8% of Muslim adults were the victim of religiously motivated hate crime, which was the highest percentage for a faith group where data is available.The full breakdown from the CSEW is as follows:Christian - (61,804) 0.0%Buddhist - (489) 0.%Hindu 0.5 - (1,326) 0.5%Muslim - (3,480) 0.8%Other - (1,553) 0.2%No religion - (36,518) 0.0%Statistics for police recorded crime, also published in October 2018, show that hate crimes motivated by religion have increased by 40% from 2016/17 to 2017/18, representing the largest percentage increase of all hate crime strands (comprising race, religion, sexual orientation, disability and transgender). The 2017/18 police statistics were the first to reflect the mandatory break down of hate crime reporting by perceived religion, and provided a breakdown based on the targeted religion of victims of religiously motivated hate crimes . They show that 52% of religiously-motivated hate crimes recorded by the police comprised anti-Muslim hostility.The full breakdown of police recorded hate crime is as follows:Buddhist - (19) 0%Christian - (264) 5%Hindu - (58) 1%Jewish - (672) 12%Muslim - (2,965) 52%Sikh - (117) 2%Other - (311) 5%No religion - (237) 4%Unknown - (1,174) 21%Total number of targeted religions 5,817Total number of offences 5,680

Religion: Educational Institutions

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for a specific educational institute in the UK to promote religious inclusiveness and the awareness of all faiths.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: In the Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper, published last year, the Government set out its commitment to building strong, integrated communities where people – whatever their background – live, learn, work and socialise together based on shared rights, responsibilities and opportunities. All schools are required to promote Fundamental British Values, which include mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs, and there are a range of existing sources of advice and guidance for schools on religious awareness.

Ministry of Defence

Type 26 Frigates

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration, if any, they have given to accelerating the Type 26 build programme.

earl howe: The Ministry of Defence has no plans to change the schedule for the Type 26 Frigate procurement programme. The first Type 26 ship, HMS Glasgow, will enter service with the Royal Navy in 2027.

Radar

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure continued advanced radar development in the UK.

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is a strategic requirement for a UK radar industry.

earl howe: Radar is one of the key underlying technologies that provide the UK Armed Forces with our critical Intelligence, Surveillance, Targeting and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability.The Ministry of Defence (MOD) continues to fund advanced UK radar programmes such as Sampson and Artisan. Looking to the future, the MOD is conducting a Radar review to ensure we understand the capability needed to adapt to the future environments and threats.The review will consider how we assure our future freedom of action and operational advantage in radar capability.

Minesweepers

lord trefgarne: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many River-class minesweepers, if any, remain in service with the Royal Navy or the Royal Naval Reserve.

earl howe: No River Class Minesweepers remain in service with the Royal Navy (RN) or the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR).Twelve River Class Minesweepers were built in the 1980s. Eleven were assigned to the RNR units around the UK, and a twelfth ship was operated by the RN's Fishery Protection Squadron. All 12 ships were decommissioned and sold during the 1990s.Today, the RN operates a fleet of 13 Mine Counter Measure Vessels (six Hunt Class and seven Sandown Class).

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Government

lord rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what future discussions are planned with the political parties in Northern Ireland to restore the Northern Ireland Executive.

lord duncan of springbank: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is focused on rebuilding political dialogue and encouraging the parties to come together to work towards restoring devolved government. She continues to speak regularly with Northern Ireland political leaders to achieve this aim.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Brexit: Statutory Instruments

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many statutory instruments relating to the possibility of a no-deal withdrawal from the EU on 29 March have been prepared in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance on consultation principles; and what alternative processes were used for those instruments not prepared in accordance with this guidance.

lord callanan: Departments use existing Cabinet Office principles on consultation for EU Exit SIs and non-exit SIs.The government has laid 331 EU Exit SIs so far. Details of any consultations undertaken are explained in all SI’s accompanying Explanatory Memoranda. These can be found on gov.uk and legislation.gov.uk.

Brexit: Statutory Instruments

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they are producing statutory instruments relating to the possibility of a no-deal withdrawal from the EU on 29 March which include a number of policy areas consolidated in the instrument; and how they came to that decision.

lord callanan: All EU exit statutory instruments help provide certainty for businesses and the public by ensuring a functioning statute book when the UK leaves the EU. The majority are needed in either a deal or no deal scenario, as they will be deferred to the end of an implementation period if no longer needed on 29 March.The Leader of the House of Commons and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union wrote to the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee on 19 November updating the Committee on secondary legislation. They explained that in some cases, departments have combined measures to form coherent packages in order to aid public understanding. This letter was published in the Committee’s 43rd report of this session.Departments continue to refine the drafting and policy content of each SI. All secondary legislation - not least that relating to exiting the EU - has to be accessible and usable. In some cases having a number of separate instruments that are closely related or cross-cutting would be to the detriment of that.

Department for International Trade

Overseas Trade: USA

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of potential trading opportunities with the United States sports sector post-Brexit.

baroness fairhead: The Department for International Trade (DIT) works to raise the profile of the UK’s world leading sports industries, organisations and leagues across the globe. The announcement of Los Angeles as host of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the successful ‘United’ bid of the United States, Canada and Mexico to host the 2026 FIFA Football World Cup present opportunities for UK expertise in major sporting events. DIT will actively promote relevant opportunities arising from these events to UK businesses and organisations as they pursue opportunities in the sports economy sector internationally.

Trade Promotion

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Fairhead on 20 September 2018 (HL10343), whether they havenow received the regional trade plan of each of Her Majesty's Trade Commissioners; and if so, whether they will publish those plans.

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Fairhead on 20 September 2018 (HL10343), which Trade Commissioners, if any, have notyet submitted their regional trade plan.

baroness fairhead: All of Her Majesty’s nine Trade Commissioners have completed their first Regional Trade Plans, which set out how each region will meet the Department’s objectives overseas. These have all been discussed at the Departmental Board. Over the coming months, Trade Commissioners will be refreshing their plans to ensure they remain fully updated. The Department for International Trade does not intend to publish Regional Trade Plans at present, as they are internal documents. However, for the future, we are considering what information may be appropriate to publish and when.